Method and apparatus for interrupting the supply of fiber material to a spinning machine

ABSTRACT

The fiber beard is lifted from the action area of the combing roll of the supply device in response to a disturbance in the spinning machine. The fiber beard is lifted mechanically by a baffle or is eliminated by pivoting of the feed roll assembly away from the combing roll or by reversing of the transporting belts. The fibers beard can also be lifted pneumatically by means of a suction chamber on the wall of the combing roll housing.

45] Apr. 24, 1973 United States Patent [191 Schiltknecht References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERRUPTING THE SUPPLY OF FIBER MATERIAL TO A SPINNING MACHINE 3,643,414 Prochazka...................... 3,511,045 5/1970 Bures et al........... [75] Inventor: Adolf Schiltlmecht, Winterthur, 3455997 7 19 9 Rajnoha et aL Switzerland 3,439,488 4/1969 Bucil et a1.

[73] Assignee: Rieter Machine Works, Ltd., Winterhur, Switzerland Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin ea h o t m mm. 5 mm mm a e mw V C Am mW is Emu An he .w f mo w] bd T- HE m. l m e 5 0 TC 1 7 9 1 n 5 4 M6 J1 o N D. mn. FA NH 22 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data disturbance in the spinning machine. The fiber beard is lifted mechanically by a baffle or is eliminated by pivoting of the feed roll assembly away from the combing roll or by reversing of the transporting belts. The fibers beard can also be lifted pneumatically by means of a suction chamber on the wall of the combing roll housing.

H 7 l 5 J 5 m 9 s m n u a n u e u z .H u w m S u 0 m 7 u 9 u .L 2 b We S u J U [51] Int. 1/12 .57/58.89, 58.95, 57/78, 80, 83, 84, 85, 156

[58] Field of Search........................

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented April 24; 1973 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 IN'VENIOR. 400M SCH/LT/(NECHT B Y 7 @wa a HTTORNEKS Patented A ril 24, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 YNVEN'IUR.

ADO/.1 Soy/1. TKNECHT Patented A ril 24, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

I I NVENT 0R. A va .1 6CH/LTKNECHT Patented April 24, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERRUPTING THE SUPPLY OF FIBER MATERIAL TO A SPINNING MACHINE This invention relates to a method and apparatus for interrupting the supply of fiber material to a spinning machine.

It has been known that in the production of yarn by means of high production spinning machines, e.g., open end spinning machines, particularly rotor spinning machines, disturbances such as end breakages and similar disturbances can occur frequently. Further, these disturbances have necessitated the stopping of the supply of fiber material to one or a plurality of individual spinning positions within the shortest time possible. It has been further known that in fiber supply devices equipped with combing rolls for opening fiber slivers and with a fiber sliver supply device, e.g., with a roll and a feeder plate, immediate stoppage of the feed roll does not present any difficulty. However, immediate stoppage of the individual combing rolls has prove impossible due to their high rotational speed. As a result in most cases. even if the sliver supply has been stopped, the whole fiber beard within the reach of a combing roll has been taken off by the combing roll before the roll comes to a standstill. The opened fibers have thus been fed directly or indirectly into the corresponding spinning rotor. Accordingly, before the spinning unit has been started up again this fiber material has required elimination from the spinning rotor so that feasible piecing or continuation of the spinning process after a disturbance can be ensured. This operation, as a rule, has required a relatively important amount of operators time and thus has generally been considered as a disadvantage in view of the trend towards automation prevailing at this time.

In order to overcome the above disadvantage, various attempts have usually been made on an individual basis which have been adapted to the situation. For example, in one instance, two fiber ducts have been provided at the exit of the opening device for the opened fiber material, namely a feed duct to the spinning rotor and a feed back duct. In addition, a baffle has been provided for alternatively switching the fiber material flow to one or the other of the two ducts. In this way, upon a disturbance, the baffle can be actuated to switch the fiber material flow into the feed back duct and away from the spinning rotor. In another instance, two fiber ducts have been provided at the exit of the device supplying the spinning rotor, one of these ducts being used as a supply duct to the rotor and the other as a feed back duct with both ducts being alternatively connectable to the exit opening of the supply device. In still another instance, a suction duct has been connected with the supply duct to the rotor via a valve. As a rule, the fiber material has been sucked off via the valve if disturbances occur and has been re-used in suitable manner. However, the devices required for these purposes have, in most cases, been relatively complicated.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to eliminate or at least to reduce considerably the time required for starting up a spinning rotor assembly after occurrance of a disturbance.

It is another object of this invention to achieve feasible piecing up to an existing end or to secure defectfree continuation of a spinning process after a stoppage due to disturbances of the fiber supply to one or a plurality of individual spinning rotors or also after stoppage of the whole machine due to operating reasons.

It is another object of this invention to reduce the time required for piecing operations in a spinning process after occurrance of a disturbance.

Briefly, the invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically interrupting the supply of fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine from a feed device. The method resides in the elimination of the fiber beard, produced in the reach of a combing roll at the end of a sliver, from the action area of the combing roll. This elimination can be carried out mechanically or pneumatically so that upon the occurrance of a disturbance in the spinning rotor or spinning machine, the fiber beard is automatically lifted from the combing roll or drawn away from the combing roll. Thus, the fiber material is prevented from passing to the spinning rotor and accumulating therein.

The apparatus of the invention includes a means which cooperates with a sliver feed device and a combing roll for supplying fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine and which serves to eliminate the fiber beard produced at the end of the sliver fed into the region of the combing roll by the sliver feed device from the action area of the roll.

In one embodiment, the elimination means acts to lift the fiber beard from the combing roll while the roll continues to rotate or slows down upon occurrance of a disturbance in the spinning machine. In this embodiment, the elimination means is in the form of an arcuate baffle which is disposed about the combing roll and which can be moved between the sliver feed device and the combing roll to intercept the newly fed sliver and lift the fiber beard from the combing roll.

In another embodiment, the elimination means is in the form of a pivotal connection between the sliver feed device and combing roll so that the feed device can be pivoted away from the combing roll upon occurrance of a disturbance in the spinning machine. In this case, the fiber beard is withdrawn from the combing roll as the feed device pivots away from the roll.

In another embodiment where the feed device is in the form of a pair of endless transporting belts, the elimination means is in the form of a transmission which serves to reverse the direction of movement of the belts so as to withdraw the fiber beard from the combing roll. I

In still another embodiment, the elimination means is in the form of a pneumatic suction device located adjacent the combing roll. In this case, the suction device draws off the fiber beard from the combing roll in response to a disturbance in the spinning machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a feed device according to the invention for mechanically interrupting the fiber supply;

FIG. 2 illustrates a view similar to FIG. 1 wherein the elimination means is in position to interrupt the fiber p y;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in the operating position;

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the embodiment according to FIG. 3 in position to interrupt the fiber supply;

FIG. illustrates a second alternative embodiment of a feed device according to the invention shown in operating position;

FIG. 6 illustrates a view of the feed device according to FIG. 5 in position to withdraw the fiber supplied to the combing roll; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-section of a pneumatic elimination means according to the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fiber supply device for a spinning rotor as shown includes a housing 1 in which a shaft 2 of a combing roll 3 is rotatably supported. The combing roll housing 1 is provided with an inlet opening 4 at a suitable location of the circumference to cooperate with a feeding device 5, such as a roll and a feeder plate or a pair of rolls, so that an end 6 of a silver 7 fed by the feeding device 5 is supplied via the opening 4 to the combing roll 3 and is opened into individual fibers by the combing roll 3. A further opening 8 is provided in the housing 1 approximately opposite the inlet opening 4. This opening 8 permits the opened fibers to leave the roll housing 1 and be transferred through a feed duct 9 in a known manner for feeding into a spinning rotor (cf. FIG. 1 The combing roll 3 and feed device 5 thus together form a supply means for the spinning rotor.

Referring to FIG. 1, the housing 1 is provided with a means such as a baffle 10 which is arranged between the cylindrical inside surface of the housing wall and the combing roll 3. The baffle I0 is supported concentrically to the axis of rotation of the shaft 2 and is rotatable, or at least pivotable about, but independently from, the axis of rotation of the shaft 2. The baffle 10 is formed of sheet metal, is bent concentrically about the axis of rotation of the shaft 2 and is connected to an activating device 1 I, e.g., a reduction gear driven by a small motor or connectable to the combing roll 3, or another suitable activating device so as to be pivoted about the roll 3.

In operation, if needed, e.g., in case of a disturbance, or if the operation of the whole machine is stopped, the baffle 10 is pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 1 by the activating device to a position between the inlet opening 4 and roll 3 (FIG. 2). This lifts or eliminates the fiber beard 6 extending from the sliver 7 fed into the housing 1 from the feed device 5 from the area of action of the combing roll 3. In this manner, the fiber material supply to the corresponding spinning rotor is interrupted.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein like reference characters indicate like parts as above, the means for eliminating or lifting the fiber beard 6 from the action area of the combing roll 3 can alternatively be in the form of a pivotal or tiltable connection between the feed device 5 and the combing roll housing 1. This connection includes a link 12 which pivots about a suitable pivot on the housing 1 and is connected to a support 13 of the feed roll of the feed device 5. In use, should a disturbance occur in a spinning machine served by the combing roll 3, a suitable control device (not shown) pivots the link 12 to selectively move the feed device 5 away from the housing 1. This allows the fiber beard 6 to be withdrawn from the action area of the combing roll 3 and housing 1.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein like reference characters indicate like parts as above, the sliver feed to the opening roll 3 is alternatively achieved by a socalled double apron arrangement consisting of two transporting belts 16, each running on two rolls l4 and 15. In this feed device, the sliver 7 is transported between the belts 16 and is fed into the combing roll 3. In order to eliminate the fiber beard 6, the fiber supply to the combing roll 3 is interrupted by reversing the sense of rotation of the transporting belts 16. The fiber beard 6 is thus pulled from, and thereby eliminated from, the action area of the combing roll 3. For this purpose, the elimination means is in the form of a reversible drive mechanism 17 connected with at least one of the drive rolls of the belts, e.g., the roll 15. In FIG. 5, the sliver feed to the combing roll 3 is shown in normal operation and in FIG. 6 in the condition is shown in which the fiber supply to the rotor is interrupted and the fiber beard 6 is pulled back from the combing roll 3.

Referring to FIG. 7, the fiber beard 6 can altematively be lifted out of the action area of the combing roll 3 pneumatically by a pressure drop from the inside towards the outside. For this purpose, a suction or vacuum chamber 18 is arranged in the cylindrical wall of the combing roll housing 1 to extend over at least a portion of the action area of the combing roll 3. The suction chamber 18 is separated from the inside room of the housing 1 by a porous, perforated or otherwise suitably made porous separating wall 19 while being sealed in air-tight relation on all other sides. In addition, the suction chamber 18 is connected to a suction system 22 via a connection nozzle 20 and control valve 21. The control valve 21 is connected to a suitable control device (not shown) so that, e.g., in case of an end breakage or of another disturbance of the spinning process, the control valve 21 can be activated to connect the suction chamber 18 with the suction system 22. This allows a suction action to be created via the separating wall 19 on the combing roll 3 so that the fiber beard 6 is lifted under the influence of the suction in an outward direction out of the action area of the combing roll 3. Thus, the fiber supply to the rotor is interrupted immediately. 1

As shown, the sliver feed device 5 can be spring mounted on a suitable support adjacent to the housing 1 of the combing roll 3 via a suitable spring.

It is noted that any suitable control device may be chosen for controlling the activating device 11 of the baffle 10, the pivoting action of the feed roll support 13, the reversible drive mechanism 17 of the transporting belt rolls l5 and the suction valve 21. Also, the control device may be chosen so that the fiber supply to the rotor is interrupted not only in case of a disturbance occurring at one or a plurality of individual spinning positions, but also is interrupted at all rotors of a machine simultaneously if the whole machine is stopped in its operation. Furthermore, the control device may also be chosen such that, in case of interruption of the fiber supply to one or a plurality of spinning rotors due to disturbances, the sliver feed to the corresponding combing rolls is stopped while the combing rolls continue to rotate, the fiver beard being lifted out of their action area.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for automatically interrupting a supply of fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine from a supply device including a combing roll and a sliver feed device for feeding a sliver to the combing roll, said method including the step of eliminating a fiber beard produced in the reach of the combing roll at the end of a sliver fed thereto from the action area of the combing roll.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fiber beard is eliminated mechanically.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fiber beard is eliminated pneumatically.

4. An apparatus for interrupting a supply of fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine from a supply device including a combing roll for opening a sliver and a sliver feed device for feeding a sliver to the combing roll, said apparatus comprising means for eliminating a fiber beard produced in the reach of said combing roll at the end of the sliver fed thereto from the action area of said combing roll 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means is a baffle pivotally mounted about said combing roll to lift the fiber beard from said combing roll.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed supply device includes a housing about said combing roll and said means includes a connection pivotally mounting said sliver feed device on said housing to selectively move away from said combing roll.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed device includes a pair of endless transporting belts and drive rolls for driving said belts and wherein said means includes a reversible drive mechanism connected to at least one of said drive rolls for reversing the direction of movement of said belts.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed device is reversible and said means includes a reversible drive mechanism connected to said feed device for reversing said device.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said supply device includes a housing having a cylindrical wall about said combing roll and said means includes a suction chamber extending over a portion of said wall in communication with the region of said combing roll and means for creating a suction force in said chamber to draw the fiber beard from said combing roll.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means includes an air permeable separation wall between said suction chamber and said combing roll. 

1. A method for automatically interrupting a supply of fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine from a supply device including a combing roll and a sliver feed device for feeding a sliver to the combing roll, said method including the step of eliminating a fiber beard produced in the reach of the combing roll at the end of a sliver fed thereto from the action area of the combing roll.
 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fiber beard is eliminated mechanically.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fiber beard is eliminated pneumatically.
 4. An apparatus for interrupting a supply of fiber material to a spinning rotor of an open end spinning machine from a supply device including a combing roll for opening a sliver and a sliver feed device for feeding a sliver to the combing roll, said apparatus comprising means for eliminating a fiber beard produced in the reach of said combing roll at the end of the sliver fed thereto from the action area of said combing roll.
 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means is a baffle pivotally mounted about said combing roll to lift the fiber beard from said combing roll.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed supply device includes a housing about said combing roll and said means includes a connection pivotally mounting said sliver feed device on said housing to selectively move away from said combing roll.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed device includes a pair of endless transporting belts and drive rolls for driving said belts and wherein said means includes a reversible drive mechanism connected to at least one of said drive rolls for reversing the direction of movement of said belts.
 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said feed device is reversible and said means includes a reversible drive mechanism connected to said feed device for reversing said device.
 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said supply device includes a housing having a cylindrical wall about said combing roll and said means includes a suction chamber extending over a portion of said wall in communication with the region of said combing roll and means for creating a suction force in said chamber to draw the fiber beard from said combing roll.
 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means includes an air permeable separation wall between said suction chamber and said combing roll. 